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Eating the Alphabet Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z

by Lois Ehlert Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • Boston

New York

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are. –Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755 –1826) Copyright © 1989 by Lois Ehlert All rights reserved. Published in the United States by HMH Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Originally published in hardcover in the United States by Harcourt Children’s Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 1989. HMH Books and the HMH Books logo are trademarks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003. www.hmhbooks.com The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this book as follows: Ehlert, Lois. Eating the alphabet: fruits and vegetables from A to Z/by Lois Ehlert.–1st ed. p. cm. Summary: An alphabetical tour of the world of fruits and vegetables, from apricot and artichoke to yam and zucchini. 1. English language—Alphabet—Juvenile literature. 2. Fruit—Juvenile literature. 3. Vegetables—Juvenile literature. [1. Alphabet. 2. Fruit. 3. Vegetables.] I. Title. PE1155.E35 1989 [E]—dc19 88-10906 ISBN: 978-0-15-224435-4 hardcover ISBN: 978-0-15-224436-1 paperback ISBN: 978-0-15-200902-1 big book ISBN: 978-0-15-201036-2 board book ISBN: 978-0-15-205688-9 lap board book ISBN: 978-0-544-05273-4 paper-over-board Manufactured in TK TK 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 45XXXXXXXX

Apple to Zucchini, come take a look. Start eating your way through this alphabet book.

Aa

ARTICHOKE artichoke

AVOCADO avocado

APPLE apple

ASPARAGUS asparagus

APRICOT apricot

BEAN bean

Brussels sprout

banana

BEET beet

broccoli

blueberry

BANANA

BROCCOLI

B b

BLUEBERRY BRUSSELS SPROUT

cabbage

corn

CELERY

carrot

celery

cherry

CORN

CARROT CHERRY

currant

CUCUMBER cucumber

CAULIFLOWER

CURRANT

cauliflower

C c

CABBAGE

Dd DATE date

Ee ENDIVE

endive

EGGPLANT eggplant

Ff

FIG fig

Gg GOOSEBERRY gooseberry

GRAPEFRUIT grapefruit

GRAPES grapes

Hh HUCKLEBERRY huckleberry

Ii JALAPEÑO jalapeño

K k

INDIAN CORN Indian corn

JICAMA

jicama

Jj

KUMQUAT kumquat

KIWIFRUIT kiwifruit

KOHLRABI

kohlrabi

Ll

LETTUCE

lettuce

LIME lime

LEEK leek

LEMON lemon

Mm

MANGO mango

MELON melon

NO n o

ORANGE orange

OKRA okra

NECTARINE nectarine

ONION

onion

pineapple

PEACH

PAPAYA papaya

PLUM plum

PEAR pear

persimmon

peach

POMEGRANATE PERSIMMON

Pp

PINEAPPLE

pomegranate

PUMPKIN pumpkin

parsnip

PARSNIP

Pp

POTATO potato

PEA pea

PEPPER pepper

Qq Rr

RADICCHIO

RUTABAGA

radicchio

rutabaga

QUINCE

raspberry

RADISH radish

rhubarb

RASPBERRY

RHUBARB

quince

Ss

STRAWBERRY strawberry

SWISS CHARD

Tt

TURNIP

turnip

Swiss chard

SPINACH spinach

STAR FRUIT star fruit

TANGERINE

tangerine

TOMATO tomato

Ww watermelon

WATERMELON

VEGETABLE MARROW

vegetable marrow

Uu Vv

UGLI FRUIT ugli fruit

WATERCRESS

watercress

Zz

ZUCCHINI zucchini

X x

XIGUA xigua

Yy

YAM yam

To learn more about the fruits and vegetables in this book, turn the page.

Glossary of Fruits and Vegetables in This Book A  APPLE (APP-uhl) fruit

Thought to be the forbidden fruit of the Bible, the apple has been grown for at least six thousand years. It is the most widely grown fruit of temperate areas. It grows on a tree and may be red, yellow, or green when ripe. ​

has grown in central Asia and Europe for centuries. The peachlike, plum-sized fruit grows on a tree.

The artichoke is native to the Mediterranean area. Also called globe artichoke, it is the unopened flower head of a thistlelike plant. It is not related to Jerusalem artichoke, the tuber of another plant.

ASPARAGUS (as-PAIR-ah-guss) vegetable

Asparagus may have originated in the Mediterranean area and now grows in most temperate and subtropical areas. Individual stalks, which grow out of the ground, are one of the first vegetables of spring.

AVOCADO (av-oh-CAH-doh) fruit/vegetable

The avocado grows on a tree that is native to Mexico and Central and South America. It is also called alligator pear. Although it is a fruit, it is often thought to be a vegetable.

B

CABBAGE (KAB-ihj) vegetable Cabbage  grew in Europe and probably Asia in prehistoric times. Now it grows in temperate areas throughout the world. There are many types, both green and red. The cabbage head grows in the center of the plant.

E

CARROT (KAIR-uht) vegetable The carrot is native to Europe and was cultivated in the Mediterranean area two thousand years ago. Now it grows in many temperate areas and is very popular in the United States. It is an edible root.

rope and the Middle East. The compact head, which is partially developed flowers, grows in the center of the plant.

BEAN (beeen) vegetable The bean has been

CHERRY (CHAIR-ee) fruit

The beet, a cultivated version of a plant that grew wild in the Mediterranean area, now is grown throughout Europe and North America. It is an edible root. The young green leaves can be eaten as well.

The cherry is probably native to western Asia and eastern Europe. Now it grows in almost all temperate areas. There are three types: sweet (often dark), for eating; sour (often bright red), for baking pies and other dishes; and sweet-sour hybrids.

CORN (korrn) vegetable Corn, native to the

Americas, has been used as food for almost ten thousand years. It is also called sweet corn or maize. The corn kernel is a seed, grown on “ears” on a tall plant. Corn is a very important grain crop.

 DATE (dayt) fruit

The date, which has been known since prehistoric times, came from the Middle East and northern Africa. Now it also is grown in California and Arizona. It grows on the date palm tree and is often dried.

(HUHK-uhl-behr-ee) fruit The shiny, blue-black huckleberry, native to North America, grows on a shrub. It is related to the blueberry but it is larger. Inside are ten hard seeds.

I

INDIAN CORN (INN-dih-an KORRN) vegetable Indian corn grows on “ears” that de-

velop on a tall plant, a type of Native American cereal grass. Indian corn is dried, not eaten fresh. The dried kernels are ground and used as grain. (See also corn.)

J

JICAMA (HEE-cah-mah) vegetable The jicama is native to Mexico and Central and South America and later became popular in the Orient. It is a tuberous root—a thick, fleshy storage root that grows underground. It is turnip-shaped, white inside, and has a sweet, crunchy taste.

K

 KIWIFRUIT (KEE-wee-froot) fruit Kiwi-

The fig is native to Asia Minor. It was one of the first cultivated fruits. It is now grown throughout the Mediterranean and in California. It grows on a bush or small tree and is often dried.

(GOOZ-behr-ee)

Kohlrabi originated in Europe. Related to cabbage, kohlrabi is the enlarged part of a stem, growing partly aboveground. It can be white or purple. The young, tender leaves can be eaten as well.

fruit

The grape, known in ancient times, is probably native to western Asia. It grows in a cluster on a vine. Seedless types have been developed. The raisin is a dried grape.

GRAPEFRUIT (GRAYP-froot) fruit

The grapefruit is a relatively new fruit. It probably originated in the West Indies in the 1700s as a new variety of the pomelo, a coarser citrus fruit. It grows on a tree in grapelike clusters. The tart pulp can be white or pink.

L

LETTUCE (LEHT-ihs or LEHT-uhs) vegetable Lettuce, native to the Mediterranean

area, is a member of the chicory family. Its leaves may be tight (head lettuce) or loose (leaf lettuce). There are many popular varieties of lettuce.

LIME (lym) fruit The lime probably originated in southeastern Asia. It grows on a small tree. Smaller than a lemon, it is also tart but has its own special flavor.

M MANGO (MANG-goh) fruit

The mango, native to tropical areas of Asia, was probably cultivated approximately four thousand years ago. The oval fruit grows on a tree. Firm but juicy, it tastes like a spicy peach. Some call it “king of the tropical fruits.”

MELON (MEHL-uhn) fruit The melon is native to central Asia, and it grows on a vine. There are many different types. Some melons, like cantaloupe, have orange flesh, and some, like honeydew, have green flesh.

N  NECTARINE (nehk-teh-REEN) fruit

The nectarine, known for more than two thousand years, grows in many temperate areas. Closely related to the peach, it has been called a fuzzless peach because of its smooth skin. Like a peach, it grows on a tree.

O  OKRA (OH-krah) fruit/vegetable

Okra, native to Africa, grows on a tall plant. The small, unripe pod is eaten. When cooked, the pod gives out a sticky juice that thickens liquids. Sometimes okra is called gumbo, the name used for okra stew.

KUMQUAT (KUHM-kwaht) fruit

ONION (UHN-yuhn) vegetable The onion, native to central or southwestern Asia, is part of the lily family. The edible bulb grows underground. It can be yellow, white, or red. The green onion, or scallion, is a young onion picked early.

LEEK (leeek) vegetable In ancient times the

ORANGE (OHR-inj) fruit The orange, one of the oldest cultivated fruits, probably originated in southwestern Asia. It grows on a tree and is really a berry. Some oranges are sour.

The kumquat is native to eastern Asia, probably China. Something like a tart miniature orange, it grows on a small tree. It is often preserved whole or used to make jam. The thin rind is edible.

The gooseberry is probably native to northern Europe. It is related to the currant and can be green, white, yellow, or red. It grows on a shrub. Very tart, it is often used to make jam and pastry.

GRAPE (grayp) fruit

fruit is probably native to China and was developed in New Zealand in the early 1900s. Fuzzy like the kiwi bird, it grows on a vine. Another name for it is Chinese gooseberry.

KOHLRABI (kohwl-RAH-bee) vegetable

FIG (fihg) fruit 

G GOOSEBERRY 

JALAPEÑO (hah-lah-PAY-nyoh) fruit/ vegetable The jalapeño is a hot pepper, probably native to Mexico. It grows on a plant. The jalapeño makes food spicy. Note: Wash your hands after cutting a jalapeño, or you’ll cry if you touch your eyes. (See also pepper.)

Eggplant is probably native to India. It has been grown in Asia since ancient times on a plantlike bush. It can be purple, white, or yellow. White eggplants look like eggs. Really a fruit, it is considered a vegetable.

Endive probably came from southern Asia or Egypt. It is an herb plant with curly, edible leaves. Sometimes called chicory, it has a sharper flavor than most salad greens.

F

H  HUCKLEBERRY

 EGGPLANT (EHG-plant) fruit/vegetable

ENDIVE (EHN-dyv or AHN-deev) vegetable

CAULIFLOWER (KAW-lih-flouw-uhr) vegetable Cauliflower probably developed in Eu-

CELERY (SELL-uhr-ee) vegetable Celery is native to the Mediterranean area and the Middle East and was cultivated by the Romans. Related to the carrot, it has a stalk that grows aboveground.

BEET (beeet) vegetable

rant berry was cultivated around the Baltic Sea. Popular in Europe and the United States, it grows on a shrub. Red, black, or white, it is often used to make jelly.

D

type of miniature cabbage. Sprouts cluster along the stalk of the plant.

C

CURRANT (KUHR-ant) fruit The tart cur-

BRUSSELS SPROUT (BRUSS-uhlz SPROWT) vegetable Native to Europe, this vegetable is a

BANANA (bah-NANN-ah) fruit The banana, probably native to Asia, was known in India four thousand years ago. It grows in a cluster on a treelike plant. Because it grows year-round, it is one of the world’s most popular and important crops. grown throughout the world since prehistoric times. The seed (dried bean) or seed pod (string bean) grows on a plant. Some dried beans are lima and kidney. The wax bean is a yellow string bean.

was known in the Thailand area nearly twelve thousand years ago. Related to squash, it is a vine fruit that is considered a vegetable.

BROCCOLI (BRAKH-uh-lee) vegetable Broccoli is native to the eastern Mediterranean area and Asia Minor. It is related to cabbage and cauliflower and grows on a plant. The floweret is a cluster of green buds picked and eaten before the flowers open.

APRICOT (AY-prih-kott or APP-rih-kott) fruit The apricot is probably native to China and

ARTICHOKE (AHR-tih-chohwk) vegetable

CUCUMBER (QUEW-kuhm-buhr) fruit/ vegetable Native to southern Asia, the cucumber

BLUEBERRY (BLOO-behr-ee) fruit The blueberry first was a wild North American berry. It grows on a shrub. Native Americans taught settlers how to dry the berries for use all winter long.

leek was grown in the Near East. It grows as an underground bulb. Part of the onion family, it looks like a large green onion but has a milder flavor.

LEMON (LEHM-uhn) fruit

The lemon, probably native to India, grows on a small, thorny tree. The oval citrus fruit is very tart. The juice, when sweetened, makes refreshing lemonade.

P  PAPAYA (pah-PY-ah) fruit

The papaya is native to the Central American region. The oblong fruit, firm but juicy, grows on a large, palmlike plant. It has spicy black seeds that can be eaten.

PARSNIP (PAHR-snipp) vegetable The parsnip, native to northern Europe, has been known for two thousand years. A member of the carrot family, it is an edible root that looks like a white carrot. If it stays in the ground over winter, it is sweeter in spring. PEA (peee) vegetable The pea, one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, was known in southeastern Asia nearly twelve thousand years ago. It grows in all temperate areas. The pea is a seed inside a pod on a vine. In new varieties, both pea and pod are tender. PEACH (peeech) fruit The peach probably originated in China at least four thousand years ago. Now it grows in temperate climates throughout the world. It grows on a tree. The sweet, juicy flesh is a covering for the hard seed, or pit, inside. PEAR (pair) fruit The pear is probably of European origin and has grown in Asia for more than two thousand years. Related to the apple, it grows on a tree. New to the United States is the crunchy Asian pear. PEPPER

(PEHP-uhr)

fruit/vegetable

Native to the tropical Americas, the pepper can be traced back to prehistoric times. It is a podlike fruit commonly considered a vegetable. Peppers can be red, yellow, green, or purple. Hot peppers are often dried. (See also jalapeño.)

PERSIMMON

(puhr-SIMM-uhn)

fruit

The persimmon is native to China and Japan. The American persimmon grows wild and is native to the southern United States. The fruit grows on a tree. Persimmon pudding was a favorite Early American dessert.

PINEAPPLE (PYN-app-uhl) fruit The pineapple originated in the tropical Americas. It grows on a plant and was given its name because it looks like a pine cone. The pineapple is a dense flower head. PLUM (pluhm) fruit The plum probably originated in the Middle East near the Caspian Sea. It grows on a small tree and is related to the cherry and peach. It can be red, purple, or yellow-green. Some varieties are dried as prunes. POMEGRANATE (PAHM-a-gran-it) fruit

The pomegranate is probably native to Persia. It is named in ancient myths and the Old Testament. It grows on a shrub or small tree. A large berry (the size of an orange), it is prized for its red pulp and seeds.

POTATO (poh-TAY-toh) vegetable

The potato, native to the Andes mountains of Peru and Bolivia, is the world’s most widely grown vegetable. Red- or brown-skinned, it is an underground tuber— a short, fleshy stem that has buds and can produce new plants. The sweet potato is the tuberous root of another plant, a tropical American vine.

PUMPKIN (PUHMP-kin) fruit/vegetable

The pumpkin, probably a native of North America, grows on a vine. Some squashes are called pumpkins. Considered a vegetable by most people, it is really a fruit. In the United States, pumpkins are traditionally cooked into pies at Thanksgiving and carved into jack-o-lanterns at Halloween.

Q

QUINCE (kwinss) fruit

The quince is probably native to the Middle East. It can be found in Greek mythology. The applelike fruit grows on a small tree and is often used to make marmalade. The golden flesh becomes pinkish when cooked.

R  RADICCHIO

(rah-DEEK-ee-oh) vegetable

Radicchio is a lettucelike plant native to Europe. Radicchio is the Italian name for chicory, and the plant is sometimes called red chicory. Some types are dark red with white veins.

RADISH (RADD-ish) vegetable

The radish we know probably descended from a wild radish native to Europe and Asia. It is the pungent, edible root of a plant in the mustard family. It can be red, white, or black.

RASPBERRY (RAZZ-behr-ee) fruit

The raspberry probably came from eastern Asia, where more than two hundred species are known. It grows on a bramble bush and is related to the rose. There are many types—red, purple, black, yellow, and white.

S SPINACH (SPINN-ihch) vegetable

Spinach is native to southeastern Asia, probably Persia. Related to the beet, it has edible leaves. Fresh, uncooked spinach is popular in salads.

WATERMELON (WAH-turh-mehl-uhn) fruit Watermelon, native to Africa, has been

known for four thousand years and is now grown worldwide. It is an oblong or round gourd that grows on a vine and has pink, red, or yellow flesh.

STRAWBERRY (STRAHW-behr-ee) fruit

X

XIGUA (she-gwah) fruit

SWISS CHARD (swihss chahrd) vegetable

Y

YAM (yamm) vegetable In the United States,

Z

ZUCCHINI (zoo-KEE-nee) fruit/vegetable

The wild strawberry, known in ancient Rome, is native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. It grows on a low plant of the rose family.

Swiss chard was known in the Mediterranean area more than two thousand years ago. Now it is grown throughout Europe, the United States, and South America. Although it is a type of beet, it is grown for its leaves and stems, not its roots.

T TANGERINE (tann-jeh-REEN) fruit

The tangerine is native to southeastern Asia. It grows on a small tree and is related to the orange, but it is smaller, flatter, and has a loose rind so it is easier to peel. Sometimes it is called mandarin orange.

TOMATO (toh-MAY-toh or toh-MAH-toh) fruit/vegetable The tomato is native to South

America. It is a fruit but it is considered a vegetable. It grows on a plant and can be red or yellow. It was once thought to be poisonous.

TURNIP (TUHR-nipp) vegetable The turnip is native to prehistoric Europe and possibly Asia. It is the yellow or white root of a plant in the mustard family. Its leaves, called turnip greens, are edible as well.

U UGLI FRUIT (UHG-lee fruit) fruit

RUTABAGA (roo-tah-BAY-gah) vegetable

MARROW (VEHJ-tah-buhl V VEGETABLE MARR-oh) fruit/vegetable Squash grew in

The rutabaga, a species of turnip, originated in Europe or perhaps Asia. It grows underground and is an edible root. Usually golden inside, it is sometimes called Swedish turnip.

Watercress, probably native to Europe and Asia Minor, was known four thousand years ago. A pungent mustard plant with edible leaves and stems, it grows in ponds and streams.

STAR FRUIT (stahr froot) fruit The star fruit was common in Portugal at least three hundred years ago. Both sweet and sour types grow in warm areas of Asia and the Americas. It is also called carambola. The slices look like stars.

RHUBARB (ROO-bahrb) fruit/vegetable

Rhubarb is native to cool parts of Asia, probably Tibet or Siberia. Although it is a vegetable, it is sometimes thought to be a fruit. The stalk is edible, but the leaf is poisonous. Also called pieplant, it is often baked in pies.

W WATERCRESS (WAH-tuhr-kress) vegetable

Ugli fruit is thought to be native to the Far East and to Jamaica. It grows on a tree and is said to be a crossbreeding of the tangerine and the grapefruit. Jamaicans pronounce the name OOWG-lee.

Central America in prehistoric times. Vegetable marrow is a type of squash popular in Great Britain. A fruit that grows on a vinelike bush, it is considered a vegetable.

Xigua is the Chinese name for watermelon. The seeds are sometimes dried like pumpkin seeds, then cracked open and the centers eaten.

an orange-fleshed sweet potato is called a yam. The true yam, native to warm areas of Africa and the Orient, is a large, starchy tuberous root. It is eaten like a potato.

Zucchini is one popular type of summer squash. Squash was cultivated in Mexico nearly nine thousand years ago. Zucchini is an Italian name that means “little squashes.” Zucchini grows on a vinelike bush and is another fruit often considered a vegetable.

It is difficult to find precise records of where certain fruits and vegetables were first grown. Long ago, as people traveled, they took along their favorite fruits and vegetables and exchanged them for other things, including foods that were new and different. Christopher Columbus, for example, brought corn to Europe from his first voyage to the West Indies. Fruits and vegetables spread to many areas of the world, and today they are grown across the globe and quickly shipped to markets in faraway places. That is why you don’t always have to wait for a certain growing season to find your favorites. You can eat strawberries while you watch snowflakes falling outside your window. And someone, somewhere, is probably growing fruits and vegetables for you right now — so you can eat the alphabet anytime.